Loose-leaf notebook construction

ABSTRACT

The invention is a notebook having a cover and a selectively openable and closable binder mechanism which can support a plurality of pre-punched, loose-leaf sheets. The binder mechanism includes the following: (a) an elongated rigid plate; (b) a hollow tubular support channel including upper and lower portions fixed to the plate and in coaxial relation with one another; (c) an opposed pair of pivotable clam-shell sheet retainers which are cooperatively associated so as to define a closed, generally elongated cylindrical, sheet holder in a first radial position and an open split cylinder in a second radial position; (d) the clam-shell sheet retainers include a rod-like pivot which pivot is slidably mounted in the support channel for a limited axial movement between a first normally restrained position and a second normally unrestrained position; (e) a first spring which biases the pivot towards its first normally restrained position; (f) a second spring which radially biases the clam-shell sheet retainers apart towards their open position; and (g) a cam associated with the support channel and operative to force the clam-shell sheet retainers into their closed position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Looseleaf notebooks having two, three or even more rings which may beselectively opened or closed to accept pages having punched holestherein are well known to the art. The present invention is directed toan improvement in binders for looseleaf notebooks in which the bindingmechanism is not a ring but a split cylinder having "clam-shell" type ofconstruction. The loose-leaf pages of the new notebook will not havecircular holes for mounting on rings, rather they will have one or moreelongated slots for being removably mounted on the elongated cylindricalclam-shell holders. Significantly, small notebooks need have only onecylindrical leaf holder in the center of the spine for the new notebookto mount the pages thereof. This presents an extraordinarily attractiveand simple construction.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A notebook comprising a binder and a single clam-shell leaf holder whichis selectively openable and closable to accept a plurality of loose-leafpages having elongated slots formed therein, adjacent to the edges ofthe pages represents the fundamental concept of the present invention.Specifically, the clam-shell cylindrical holder is spring loaded so asto tend to open when not restrained by another spring mechanism and acamming mechanism in a closed position.

The cylindrical clam-shell elements forming the cylindrical binder aresupported on slidable rods which are mounted in tubular channels fordisplacement "axially" along a spine. The clam-shell members are cammedfrom the opened position into a closed position by engagement with acamming surface formed in one of the tubular support channels.

For a better appreciation of the notebook of the present invention andits attendant advantages, reference should be made to the followingdrawings taken in conjunction with the following detailed description ofthe invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the new binder construction ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a new clam-shell member embodyingthe principles of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the clam-shell member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the elements of thebinder mechanism of the new invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the binder mechanism of the invention;and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the support for the binder of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, the notebook of the present invention includesgenerally, a binder mechanism 10 which is mounted to a notebook coverspine 11, and a plurality of loose-leaf pages 12 which are supported inthe binder mechanism 10. The individual pages 12 may include tabs 13,and/or pressure sensitive adhesive-coated labels bearing preprintedinformation or space for the inclusion by hand of certain information inaccordance with the principles set forth in co-pending application Ser.No. 206,428 filed June 14, 1988 which is incorporated by referenceherein. In addition, at the inner edges of each of the pages 12, is anelongated slot 15, having rounded upper and lower edges 16.

The pages 12 are mounted through the slot 15 on a new and improved splitcylindrical leaf holder 20 which forms a major element of the bindermechanism 10. Specifically, the cylindrical binder 20 is comprised ofhalf cylinders 21 and 22 (FIG. 4), each of which is mounted on anelongated rod 23, 24 through an intermediate web 25, 26 as shown in FIG.4. These clam-shell elements 21, 22 are mirror images of one another aswill be appreciated. More specifically, the clam-shell 21 projectsforwardly beyond the end of supporting rod 23, while the edge of matingclam-shell 22 projects forwardly from its supporting rod 24. Thus, inaccordance with the present invention, when the edge 27 of the rod 23abuts the edge 28 of the rod 24 the clam-shells 21 and 22 will be injuxtaposition with one another as shown in FIG. 5 and adapted tocooperate to form a complete cylinder. As shown in FIG. 5 with the rods23 and 24 butting and disposed in an uppermost position in supportchannels 30 and 31 the clam-shell elements 21 and 22 are held togetherin closed cylindrical form by virtue of the webs 25, 26 being held inalignment in the elongated slot 32 found in the tubular support 31.

The clam-shell elements 21, 22 are urged into the normally closedcylindrical position (with webs 25,26 in slot 32) by a spring 40, anintermediate spacer 41 inserted in opening 42 formed in the tubularsupport member 30, and cylindrical end cap 43 which completes theassembly of the clam-shell elements 22 into the tubular member 30 at theleft-hand end thereof, while an end cap 44 closes off the tubularsupport member 31 at the right-hand end thereof as shown in FIG. 4.

It will be understood that the rods 23, 24 are axially displacable inthe tubular support members 30, 31 from a position in which thecylindrical members are closed, i.e., webs 25, 26 are aligned andrestrained in the slot 32 to a position in which the clam-shell elementsare opened when the rods 23, 24 are displaced to the left of FIG. 4 topermit the web members 25, 26 to be displaced radially outwardly fromone another by virtue of an interposed leaf spring 50 having ends 51, 52bearing against the webs 25, 26 respectively to urge them apart.

Thus, when the clam-shell 20 is displaced by sliding to the left (FIG.5) the spring member 50 urges the clam-shell 21, 22 apart to open thesame to receive the slotted pages 12. Thus, when the rods 23, 24 aredisplaced by sliding to the right (FIG. 5) the webs 25, 26 are cammed bythe tear-shaped camming opening 35 which leads into the narrow slot 32as shown in FIGS. 4,5 and FIG. 6.

The present new and improved notebook construction lends itself tosimple and efficient manufacturing and assembly techniques which resultin a new and unique binder construction for loose leaf type notebooks.The tubular members 30, 31 may be formed integrally with spine member 60or may be fabricated separately as found necessary or desirable.Similarly, each of the clam-shell members 21, 22 may be made from acommon extrusion which may thereafter by machined to the final mirrorimage construction shown in FIG. 4.

While, the present notebook construction has been illustrated in theform of a single cylindrical clam-shell holder 20 to mount loose-leafpages having a single elongated slot therein, it will be appreciatedthat with extra large pages it may be necessary or desirable to use two,three or even four cylinders. It should be understood of course, thatthe specific embodiment herein illustrated and described is intended tobe for the purposes of example and representative only, as certainchanges may be made therein without departing from the clear teachingsof the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to followingappended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

We claim:
 1. In a notebook construction having cover and a selectivelyopenable and closeable binder mechanism for supporting a plurality ofpre-punched loose-leaf pages, the improvement in which said bindermechanism includes:(a) an elongated rigid plate means; (b) a hollowtubular support channel means including upper and lower portions fixedto said plate means in coaxial relation with one another; (c) an opposedpair of pivotable clam shell means cooperatively associated to define aclosed, generally elongated cylindrical, leaf holder in a first radialposition and an open split cylinder in a second radial position; (d)said clam shell means including a rod-like pivot means slidably mountedin said support channel for limited axial displacement between a firstnormally restrained position and a second normally unrestrainedposition; (e) first spring means axially biasing said pivot means towardsaid first normally restrained position; (f) second spring meansradially biasing said clam-shell means apart toward said open position;and (g) camming means associated with said support channel means andoperative to cam said clam shell means into said closed position.
 2. Thebinder mechanism of claim 1 in which(a) each of said pair of clam shellmeans is supported in fixed, spaced relation with said pivot means by avertical web extending for approximately half the length of said splitcylinder leaf holder; (b) each of said split cylinders projecting beyondthe ends of the pivot means for a distance equal to approximately halfthe length of said split cylinders; (c) the ends of the pivot means ofeach of said clam shell means being butted.
 3. The binder mechanism ofclaim 1 further including(a) a plurality of loose-leaf pages each ofwhich defines an elongated slot adjacent the inner edges thereof; (b)said slots being of a length slightly greater than the length of saidsplit cylinder leaf holder.
 4. The binder mechanism of claim 3 inwhich(a) said slot is disposed medially of the inner edge and extendsfor approximately one third of the length of said edge.
 5. The bindermechanism of claim 1, in which(a) said camming means comprises anelongated tear-shaped groove defined centrally of said support channel;(b) said groove merging with an elongated slot having a width slightlygreater than the width of said web means; (c) whereby said clam shellmeans may be allowed to assume a split cylindrical position when the webmeans said clam shell means is beyond said elongated slot and said clamshell means is cammed into a closed position when the web means of bothof said clam shell means are disposed within said slot.